With Cash Tight, States Reassess Long Jail Terms

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/10/national/10PRIS.html?hp

After two decades of passing ever tougher sentencing laws and prompting a prison building boom, state legislatures facing budget crises are beginning to rethink their costly approaches to crime.

In the past year, about 25 states have passed laws eliminating some of the lengthy mandatory minimum sentences so popular in the 1980's and 1990's, restoring early release for parole and offering treatment instead of incarceration for some drug offenders. In the process, politicians across the political spectrum say they are discovering a new motto. Instead of being tough on crime, it is more effective to be smart on crime.

In Washington, the first state in the country to pass a stringent "three strikes" law by popular initiative a decade ago, a bipartisan group of legislators passed several laws this year reversing some of their more punitive statutes.

One law shortened sentences for drug offenders and set up money for drug treatment. Another increased the time inmates convicted of drug and property crimes could earn to get out of prison early. Another eliminated parole supervision for low-risk inmates after their release.

[Military Brat]

1. Well, it's about time. (no pun intended)

Ashcroft will have a hissy-fit. Maybe now we can see some people who belong in rehab getting shorter sentences. Wouldn't it be great if the bush administration blunders backfired on them and the states all had to adopt liberal policies?

[loudnclear]

2. All of Clinton's gains being undone by the Bush cabal

First the surplus, now the law and order gains. Crime is up all over the nation although you would never know it since the news chooses to not report on it. Hand gun killings are almost back to 1991 levels. With the Bush tax cuts and roll back of state payments for additional police, the crime stats are sure to creep upward. The dittoheads just don't get it.

[grasswire]

4. I don't consider....

...draconian sentencing a law and order gain.

[LiberalBushFan]

3. oh well

We'll have to do the usual and release some murderers so the druggies don't get too crowded.